This is the third volume in the trilogy that began with
Rhapsody and continued with
Prophecy, and it has a suitable
title. The events of the book are more-or-less destined to occur, and
they play out more-or-less as they are supposed to. The romance that
buds in the first book and blossoms in the second comes to fruition
after a suitable number of obstacles are overcome (most of them,
it’s only fair to say, are really rather novel); sundered kindreds
are united, old feuds are put aside, and Rhapsody and her beau usher in a
new era of gladness. Whew, I was worried for a moment that she might not
make it.

All in all…pretty good for a new author, though not perfect. If you
like epic fantasy, and you enjoy a little romance with it, you’ll
probably enjoy these. My major complaint is with Haydon’s handling of
history. More than anything else, this trilogy is about
about healing the wounds of past conflicts. The history of her world,
both recent and ancient, are key. And the problem is that real history
is complicated. It doesn’t flow naturally in ways that
support the story you want to tell. When history is presented too
simply, it looks comic book, as though it’s painted in all primary
colors, and I have trouble taking it seriously.

Maybe that’s just me, though; we aren’t all history buffs.